University of Santo Tomas

Faculty of Engineering
A.Y. 2018 – 2019

CHE 516:
Process Modelling and Simulation of
CHEMOSTAT BIOREACTOR

Submitted by:
Fuerte, Sheralyn
Tugaoen, Sam Denielle
Sabile, Lovella Kate
5CHE-A

Submitted to:
Engr. Basil James Santos
December 10, 2018
 Chemostat Bioreactor for Culturing

Yeast, an essential feed in alcohol fermentation, is to be cultured using a chemostat bioreactor using pyruvate
(C3H4O3) as the growth substrate. In order to optimize the culture selling cost, it is desired to control the biomass
concentration leaving the bioreactor by adding the growth substrate constantly. The substrate is fed at 85 L/min while
the sterile biomass is fed at 56 L/min. If there is no death rate in the process with the Ks being much greater than the
substrate and the following values below are assigned for the necessary constants, derive the transfer function for the
culturing process.

Given: Assumptions:
B
substrate feed
P 1. The feed is sterile.
A product culture 2. Substrate flowrate is constant.
biomass feed 3. No death occurs in the culture (Kd = 0)
4. Ks >>> substrate

Variables:

1. Controlled Variable: Biomass Concentration (Ca)

2. Manipulated Variable: Biomass Flowrate (A)
3. Disturbance Variable: Substrate Flowrate (B)

Transfer Function Derivation:

𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 (𝑆)

For a chemostat bioreactor, 𝜇= . If Ks >>> S then, the equation above can be simplified into: 𝜇 = .
𝐾𝑠 +𝑆 𝐾𝑠

General Material Balance:

In – Out + Reaction Rate = Accumulation (Note: F (Cif - Ci) + VR – rfi = 0)

Biomass Balance:

𝑑𝐶𝐴
𝐴𝐶𝐴𝑜 − (A + B)𝐶𝐴 + 𝑉𝜇𝐶𝐴 = 𝑉
𝑑𝑡
𝜇 (𝑆) 𝑑𝐶
𝐴𝐶𝐴𝑜 − (𝐴 + B)𝐶𝐴 + 𝑉 ( 𝑚𝑎𝑥 ) 𝐶𝐴 = 𝑉 𝐴 but 𝐴𝐶𝐴𝑜 = 0
𝐾𝑠 𝑑𝑡
𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 (𝑆) 𝑑𝐶𝐴
𝑉( ) 𝐶𝐴 − (𝐴 + B)𝐶𝐴 = 𝑉
𝐾𝑠 𝑑𝑡

At steady state and using deviation variables:

𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑑𝐶𝑎
𝑉( ) [𝑆𝑠 (𝐶𝐴 − 𝐶𝐴𝑠 ) + 𝐶𝐴𝑠 (𝑆 − 𝑆𝑠 )] − (𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵)(𝐶𝐴 − 𝐶𝐴𝑠 ) − (𝐴 − 𝐴𝑠)(𝐶𝐴𝑠 ) = 𝑉
𝐾𝑠 𝑑𝑡

𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑠 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝑎𝑠

𝑉( ) 𝐶𝐴 (𝑠) + 𝑉 ( ) 𝑆(𝑠) − (𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵)𝐶𝐴 (𝑠) − 𝐶𝐴 𝑠𝐴(𝑠) = 𝑉𝑠𝐶𝐴 (𝑠)
𝐾𝑠 𝐾𝑠

𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑠 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠

𝐶𝐴 (𝑠) (𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − 𝑉 ) = −𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝐴(𝑠) + 𝑉 𝑆(𝑠) Equation 1. Sterile Bacteria Balance
𝐾𝑠 𝐾𝑠
Substrate Balance:

𝑉 𝑑𝑆
𝐵𝑆𝑜 − (𝐴 + 𝐵)𝑆 − 𝜇𝐶 = 𝑉
𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐴 𝑑𝑡

𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 (𝑆) 𝑑𝑆
𝐵𝑆𝑜 − (𝐴 + 𝐵)𝑆 − 𝐶𝐴 = 𝑉
𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐾𝑠 𝑑𝑡

At steady state and using deviation variables:

𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑑𝑆
𝐵(𝑆𝑜 − 𝑆𝑜𝑠 ) − (𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵)(𝑆 − 𝑆𝑠 ) − (𝐴 − 𝐴𝑠 )𝑆𝑠 − [𝑆𝑠 (𝐶𝐴 − 𝐶𝐴𝑠 ) + 𝐶𝐴𝑠 (𝑆 − 𝑆𝑠 )] = 𝑉
𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐾𝑠 𝑑𝑡

𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑠 𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠

𝐵𝑆𝑜 (𝑠) − (𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵)𝑆(𝑠) − 𝑆𝑠 𝐴(𝑠) − 𝐶𝐴 (𝑠) + 𝑆(𝑠) = 𝑉𝑠𝑆(𝑠)
𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐾𝑠 𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐾𝑠

𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑠

𝑆(𝑠) (𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − ) = 𝐵𝑆𝑜 (𝑠) − 𝑆𝑠 𝐴(𝑠) − 𝐶𝐴 (𝑠)
𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐾𝑠 𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐾𝑠

𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑠
𝐵𝑆𝑜 (𝑠)−𝑆𝑠 𝐴(𝑠)− 𝐶𝐴 (𝑠)
𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐾𝑠
𝑆(𝑠) = Equation 2. Substrate Balance
𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠
(𝑉𝑠+𝐴𝑠 +𝐵− )
𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐾𝑠

Combination of Biomass Balance and Substrate Balance to Obtain Ca(s):

𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑠
𝐵𝑆𝑜 (𝑠) − 𝑆𝑠 𝐴(𝑠) − 𝐶𝐴 (𝑠)
𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑠 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐾𝑠
𝐶𝐴 (𝑠) (𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − 𝑉 ) = −𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝐴(𝑠) + 𝑉 [ ]
𝐾𝑠 𝐾𝑠 𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠
(𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − )
𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐾𝑠

𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑠 𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠

𝐶𝐴 (𝑠) (𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − 𝑉 ) (𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − )
𝐾𝑠 𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐾𝑠
𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑠
= −𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝐴(𝑠) (𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − )+ 𝑉 (𝐵𝑆𝑜 (𝑠) − 𝑆𝑠 𝐴(𝑠) − 𝐶𝐴 (𝑠))
𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐾𝑠 𝐾𝑠 𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐾𝑠

𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑠 𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠

𝐶𝐴 (𝑠)(𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − 𝑉 )(𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − )
𝐾𝑠 𝑌𝑥 𝐾𝑠
𝑠
𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑠
= −𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝐴(𝑠)(𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − )+𝑉 (𝐵𝑆𝑜 (𝑠) − 𝑆𝑠 𝐴(𝑠) − 𝐶𝐴 (𝑠))
𝑌𝑥 𝐾𝑠 𝐾𝑠 𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐾𝑠
𝑠

𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑠 𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 2 𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝑆𝑠

𝐶𝐴 (𝑠)(𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − 𝑉 )(𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − ) + (𝑉 ) 𝐶 (𝑠)
𝐾𝑠 𝑌𝑥 𝐾𝑠 𝐾𝑠 𝑌𝑥 𝐴
𝑠 𝑠
𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠
= −𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝐴(𝑠)(𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − )+𝑉 (𝐵𝑆𝑜 (𝑠) − 𝑆𝑠 𝐴(𝑠))
𝑌𝑥/𝑠 𝐾𝑠 𝐾𝑠

𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑠 𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 2 𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝑆𝑠

𝐶𝐴 (𝑠) [(𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − 𝑉 )(𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − ) + (𝑉 ) ]
𝐾𝑠 𝑌𝑥 𝐾𝑠 𝐾𝑠 𝑌𝑥
𝑠 𝑠
𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠
= −𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝐴(𝑠)(𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − )+𝑉 (𝐵𝑆𝑜 (𝑠) − 𝑆𝑠 𝐴(𝑠))
𝑌𝑥 𝐾𝑠 𝐾𝑠
𝑠

𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝜇 𝐶
−𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝐴(𝑠)(𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − ) + 𝑉 𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐴𝑠 (𝐵𝑆𝑜 (𝑠) − 𝑆𝑠 𝐴(𝑠))
𝑌𝑥 𝐾𝑠 𝐾𝑠
𝑠
𝐶𝐴 (𝑠) =
𝜇 𝑆𝑠 𝑉 𝜇 𝐶 𝜇 𝐶 𝑆
[(𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − 𝑉 𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝐾𝑠
)(𝑉𝑠 + 𝐴𝑠 + 𝐵 − 𝑥 𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝐴𝑠 ) + (𝑉 𝑚𝑎𝑥 )2 𝐴𝑠𝑥 𝑠 ]
𝑌 𝐾𝑠 𝐾𝑠 𝑌
𝑠 𝑠
Transfer Function:

𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝜇 𝐶𝐴𝑠
𝜇 𝐶𝐴𝑠 −𝐶𝐴𝑠 (𝑉𝑠+𝐴𝑠 +𝐵− 𝑌 )−𝑉 𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑆𝑠
𝑉 𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝐾
𝐵 𝑥 𝐾𝑠 𝐾𝑠
𝑠
𝐶𝐴 (𝑠) = 𝑆𝑜 (𝑠) 𝑠
+ 𝐴(𝑠)
𝜇 𝑆 𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝜇 𝐶 𝑆 𝜇 𝑆 𝑉 𝜇𝑚𝑎𝑥𝐶𝐴𝑠 𝜇 𝐶 𝑆
[(𝑉𝑠+𝐴𝑠 +𝐵− 𝑉 𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑠)(𝑉𝑠+𝐴𝑠 +𝐵−
𝐾𝑠 𝑌𝑥 𝐾𝑠
)+(𝑉 𝑚𝑎𝑥)2 𝐴𝑠 𝑠]
𝐾𝑠 𝑌
[(𝑉𝑠+𝐴𝑠 +𝐵− 𝑉 𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑠)(𝑉𝑠+𝐴𝑠 +𝐵−
𝐾𝑠 𝑌𝑥 𝐾𝑠
)+(𝑉 𝑚𝑎𝑥 )2 𝐴𝑠 𝑠]
𝐾𝑠 𝑌
[ 𝑠 ] [ 𝑠 ]